The remaining pieces of League Park, once the home of the Cleveland Indians, would be restored in the next several years, as the Cleveland City Council approves spending $387,000 on architectural plans. The ballpark, originally designed by Osborn Engineering for the 1910 MLB season, is now down to a brick wall down the right-field line […]
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Wrigley Field damaged in heavy snowstorms
Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, was damaged yesterday by heavy snowstorms ripping through the heart of the country, as several tiles from the top of the press box were torn off; streets in the area are shut down for the cleanup. The tiles caused enough of a mess to force city officials to […]
Twins relocating trees behind center field at Target Field
The Minnesota Twins will be relocating 14 pine trees currently planted past the center-field wall after players complained about them being a distraction at the plate. No word on how the pitchers feel about the move. In general, Twins batters weren’t that thrilled about playing at Target Field, despite the obvious team advantage of having […]
Could Oakland bar A’s from moving?
An interesting legal theory is making its way through the Bay Area: that a clause in the Athletics’ lease for Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum could be used as a tool to keep the team in Oakland — at least long enough for a sale of the team or a San Jose deal to cool. Here’s the […]
Remembering the Polo Grounds
It wasn’t the most glamorous venue in the major leagues, nor the most stylish. But the Polo Grounds — the former home of the New York Giants and, briefly, the New York Yankees and New York Mets — will receive its due this weekend, as the San Francisco Giants and Willie Mays will bring the […]
Exploring the roots of spring training in Florida
We’re now in full-blown preparations for spring training. The roots of spring training are still a little cloudy, but we’ve run across a newspaper article documenting Henry M. Flagler‘s efforts to bring spring training in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1890 — complete with an illustration of the ballpark. The article appeared in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated […]
Feeding frenzy expected for Cubs spring facility work
When the city of Mesa releases a “request for qualifications” notice in coming weeks, we’ll see a feeding frenzy as architectural and construction firms jockey for position — and we hear the process is expected to be wide open. Discussions of the new facility were fast and frequent at the Winter Meetings, as lots of […]
Tampa Sports Authority declines to participate in Rays ballpark talks — for now
The Tampa Stadium Authority, involved in both Raymond James Stadium and St. Pete Times Forum, is declining once again to be a part of any Tampa Bay Rays ballpark planning — for now. The reason: any overt discussions of a new ballpark could be seen as tampering with the Rays’ current lease at Tropicana Field […]
Chamber to take up Rays ballpark cause
The Tampa Chamber of Commerce is grabbing a larger role in the debate over a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark, launching a study to determine possible private funding of a ballpark but steering clear of specific locations. The avoidance of locations is being done with the hopes of including St. Petersburg and Pinellas County in […]
Eagles removed from Ed Smith Stadium lights
The Baltimore Orioles had an unusual expenditure during the ongoing renovations to Ed Smith Stadium, the team’s Sarasota spring-training home: paying a private firm to remove two American eagles and their eggs from the right-field lights. The eagles decided to nest within the lights high above the ballpark this fall, despite ballpark renovations that brought […]
New Red Sox spring facilities bids come in slightly over budget
Construction bids on a new spring-training facility for the Boston Red Sox came in slightly over budget, with the end number tallied at $77.7 million — or around $2.7 million above the $75 million budget. Nothing will be cut from the budget, however. Lee County Commissioners will meet next week to approve the final numbers […]
Oakland may be in better financial shape to host new A’s ballpark
WINTER MEETINGS — Because Oakland’s redevelopment agency is in much better financial shape than San Jose‘s, the city may be in better shape to put together a deal for a new Oakland Athletics ballpark — or at least give cover to the MLB committee charged with recommending a location. Though San Jose officials have pooh-poohed […]
Pinellas County extends hotel tax — but not enough for new Rays ballpark
Things are getting interesting in Tampa Bay: Pinellas County extended a 5 percent hotel tax to 2021 — far short of the time needed to potentially pay off a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark — while the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce announced ballpark financing would be one of the group’s main priorities in 2011. […]